Men's Basketball 5/15/2026 4:28:00 PM

Medgar Evers student-athletes recognized at 39th CUNYAC Michael Steuerman Scholar Athlete Awards Dinner

The City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) awarded its most prestigious honors – the 2025-26 Scholar-Athletes of the Years – at the 39th Annual Michael Steuerman Scholar-Athlete Awards Dinner at Terrace on the Park.

In a tradition that began when the conference was first founded in 1986-87, the CUNYAC annually recognizes four of its graduating student-athletes, rich in both academics and athletics, as its Scholar-Athletes of the Year. The two student-athletes to earn the distinct honor were: Baruch College's Paz Moran, and Hunter College's Mateo Panafiel.

Medgar Evers College was represented by a pair of representatives, including men's basketball player Joash Beaton, and the men's soccer mainstay Taye Simon.

Beaton is a Business Administration major sporting a 3.62 GPA. He is a member of the CHAMPSS program that helps transfer students or associate degree holders ease their transition to college. He has volunteered at a Breast Cancer Awareness walk in Flushing, and plays the drums at two local churches. At the conclusion of the 2025-2026 men's basketball season, Beaton was a member of the conference's sportsmanship team.

Simon has been one of the men's soccer program's most dependable student-athletes over the past four seasons. During the 2025 campaign, he boasted a 3.76 GPA, he appeared in seven games for MEC, scoring a goal and providing much-needed leadership, doing his best to take young players under his wing and lead by example.

Other student-athletes representing Medgar Evers at the banquet were senior Jennifer Metra, who received the Sportsmanship Award during the women's basketball season, Ahmed Toure, who earned the accolade following the outdoor track and field campaign, and Sarah Vallon, who earned the Sportsmanship award during the indoor track and field campaign.

Metra has been one of the most recognizable and familiar faces in the Medgar Evers Department of Athletics over the past four years. Appearing in all but two women's basketball games over a four year career, her consistency, intensity, grittiness, and overall strength are attributes that have made her one of the most decorated players to ever pass through this program. Her name became synonymous with Medgar Evers' women's basketball program since the moment she competed in her first game in November of 2022. Since then, she has approached each game with passion, intensity, and confidence, leading by example and always pushing to play her best for her coaches and teammates.

A versatile, multi-sport student-athlete, Toure who has been nothing but a dedicated, hard-working member of the track and field program since joining it. After winning a championship with the indoor track and field team, he has seamlessly transitioned to outdoor season and continued to take on any role the coaches saw fit with him, without complaint. An owner of a 3.403 cumulative GPA, Toure has truly made the most of his college experience, and during the outdoor track and field season, he continued to grow as a man on the track and in the field, as well as in the classroom, and in his community.

When defining sportsmanship, commitment, and selflessness, Sarah Vallon stands in a class of her own. She works two jobs while simultaneously serving as a team manager for three Cougars programs and training for competition as a thrower and occasional runner for the indoor track and field team.

At competitions, Vallon's impact went far beyond her own events. Between throws and races, she is the first to take out her phone to record teammates' performances, immediately sharing footage in the team chat so they can review and refine their technique. She was intentional about helping others improve, and engaged respectfully with opponents, celebrating competitors' successes, and uplifting her teammates regardless of circumstance. Her leadership extended into the classroom and campus community.

Vallon is active in the Women's Center, participates in SAAC, and tutors fellow student-athletes. She balanced work, academics, service, and athletics with a maturity that reflects true character.

Overall, 47 student-athletes from Medgar Evers College earned either a CUNYAC major award or an All-Conference distinction. A large portion of those award winners were representatives of the Track & Field program, with most of those honorees not in attendance due to competing at the NCAA Division III AARTFC Regional Championships at Ursinus University.

In a heartfelt moment, CUNYAC Commissioner, Dr. Kurt Patberg, presented Cougars Director of Athletics Chetara Murphy with an Appreciation and Recognition Award, recognizing her for her outstanding dedication, support, and contributions to the conference.

Medgar Evers coaches/administrators in attendance, in addition to Murphy, included President Dr. Patricia Ramsey, Senior Vice President for Student Success and Enrollment Management, Jesse F. Kane, Sports Information Director Stephen Spagnoli, and Assistant Women's Basketball Coach Jenifer Jules.

In addition to recognizing the two Scholar-Athletes of the Year, the CUNY Athletic Conference honored 27 Scholar-Athlete of the Year Honorable Mentions. Each were presented a plaque amongst other trinkets throughout the evening.

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